Χατζηγεωργίου Αντώνιος, Αναπλ. Καθηγητής

Research focus

Our research interests lie in mechanisms perturbing the homeostasis of metabolic organs during the development of obesity/diabetes-related complications and especially during non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis. Specifically, we focus on the role of

i) Inflammation and immune-parenchymal cell interactions and
ii) Adaptations of parenchymal cells of metabolic organs (and mainly those of the liver e.g. hepatocytes, endothelial cells)
during nutrient/lipid overload and metabolic stress.

To do this, we use animal models of disease within the whole spectrum of obesity and NAFLD (hepatic steatosis/NASH/HCC etc.) and we study pathophysiological mechanisms by utilizing in vivo/ex vivo and in vitro tools (cell culture/co-culture systems, genetically modified mice, human samples) and by applying cutting-edge technologies of biomedical science (omics, CyTOF, spatial phenotyping etc) .

Personnel

Group Leader

Antonios Chatzigeorgiou (BSc, MD, PhD)

Post-doctoral Scientists

Polyxeni Nikolakopoulou (BSc, MSc, PhD )

Rallia-Iliana Velliou (MEng, MPhil, PhD)

PhD Students

Gesthimani (Mania) Kakavouli (BSc, MSc )

MSc students

Past Members

Stavros-Alexandros Doumas (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; rotation)
Renata Giagkou (MSc student, ‘Molecular and Applied Physiology’; MSc Thesis)
Ioannis Ntounias (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; rotation)
Michalina Sikorska (MSc student, ‘Molecular Biomedicine’; MSc Thesis)
Alkistis Papatheodoridi (PhD student )

Selected publications

A. MOST IMPORTANT ORIGINAL ARTICLES (with reverse chronological order)

1. Papadopoulos G, Legaki AI, Georgila K, Vorkas P, ………… Panayotou G, Gika H, Samiotaki M, Eliopoulos AG, Chatzigeorgiou A: Integrated omics analysis for characterization of the contribution of high fructose corn syrup to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obesity. Metabolism. 2023 Mar 28;144:155552.

2. Chung KJ, Legaki AI, Papadopoulos G, Gercken B, Gebler J, Schwabe RF, Chavakis T, Chatzigeorgiou A. Analysis of the Role of Stellate Cell VCAM-1 in NASH Models in Mice. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 2;24(5):4813. doi: 10.3390/ijms24054813.

3. Arida A., Legaki A-I, Kravvariti E, Protogerou A, Sfikakis PP, Chatzigeorgiou A: PCSK9/LDLR System and Rheumatoid Arthritis-Related Atherosclerosis Front Cardiovasc Med 2021 Oct 8;8:738764.

4. Moustakas, II, Katsarou A, Legaki AI, Pyrina I, Ntostoglou K, Papatheodoridi AM, Gercken B, Pateras IS, Gorgoulis VG, Koutsilieris M, Chavakis T, Chatzigeorgiou A: Hepatic Senescence Accompanies the Development of NAFLD in Non-Aged Mice Independently of Obesity. Int J Mol Sci 2021;22.

5. Troullinaki M, Chen LS, Witt A, Pyrina I, Phieler J, Kourtzelis I, Chmelar J, Sprott D, Gercken B, Koutsilieris M, Chavakis T, Chatzigeorgiou A: Robo4-mediated pancreatic endothelial integrity decreases inflammation and islet destruction in autoimmune diabetes. FASEB J 2020;34:3336-3346.

6. Kalafati L, Kourtzelis I, Schulte-Schrepping J, Li X, Hatzioannou A, Grinenko T, Hagag E, Sinha A, Has C, Dietz S, de Jesus Domingues AM, Nati M, Sormendi S, Neuwirth A, Chatzigeorgiou A, ………… Verginis P, Mitroulis I, Chavakis T: Innate Immune Training of Granulopoiesis Promotes Anti-tumor Activity. Cell 2020;183:771-785 e712.

7. Chatzigeorgiou A, Mitroulis I, Chrysanthopoulou A, Legaki AI, Ritis K, Tentolouris N, Protogerou AD, Koutsilieris M, Sfikakis PP: Increased Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Related to Smoking Intensity and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Thromb Haemost 2020;120:1587-1589.

8. Sprott D, Poitz DM, Korovina I, Ziogas A, Phieler J, Chatzigeorgiou A, Mitroulis I, Deussen A, Chavakis T, Klotzsche-von Ameln A: Endothelial-Specific Deficiency of ATG5 (Autophagy Protein 5) Attenuates Ischemia-Related Angiogenesis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2019 Jun;39(6):1137-1148.

9. Nikolakopoulou P, Chatzigeorgiou A, Kourtzelis I, Toutouna L, ………… Chrousos G, Yi CX, García-Cáceres C, Tschöp MH, Bornstein SR, Androutsellis-Theotokis A. Streptozotocin-induced β-cell damage, high fat diet, and metformin administration regulate Hes3 expression in the adult mouse brain. Sci Rep. 2018 Jul 27;8(1):11335.

10. Mitroulis I, Ruppova K, Wang B, Chen LS, Grzybek M, Grinenko T, Eugster A, Troullinaki M, Palladini A, Kourtzelis I, Chatzigeorgiou A, Schlitzer A, Beyer M, Joosten LAB, Isermann B, Lesche M, Petzold A, Simons K, Henry I, Dahl A, Schultze JL, Wielockx B, Zamboni N, Mirtschink P, Coskun Ü, Hajishengallis G, Netea MG, Chavakis T. Modulation of Myelopoiesis Progenitors Is an Integral Component of Trained Immunity. Cell. 2018 Jan 11;172(1-2):147-161.e12.

11. Chung KJ*, Chatzigeorgiou A*, Economopoulou M, Garcia-Martin R, ………… Hajishengallis G, Chavakis T: A self-sustained loop of inflammation-driven inhibition of beige adipogenesis in obesity. Nat. Immunol 2017;18:654-664 *equal first authors.

12. Chmelar J, Chatzigeorgiou A, Chung KJ, Prucnal M, Voehringer D, Roers A, Chavakis T: No Role for Mast Cells in Obesity-Related Metabolic Dysregulation. Front Immunol 2016;7:524.

13. Chatzigeorgiou A, Seijkens T, Zarzycka B, Engel D, Poggi M, van den Berg S, van den Berg S, ………… Schally AV, Weber C, Bornstein SR, Nicolaes G, Chavakis T, Lutgens E: Blocking CD40-TRAF6 signaling is a therapeutic target in obesity-associated insulin resistance. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2014;111:2686-2691.

14. Chatzigeorgiou A, Chung KJ, Garcia-Martin R, Alexaki VI, Klotzsche-von Ameln A, Phieler J, Sprott D, ………… Bornstein SR, Muders MH, Boon L, Karalis KP, Lutgens E, Chavakis T: Dual role of B7 costimulation in obesity-related nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and metabolic dysregulation. Hepatology 2014;60:1196-1210.

15. Chatzigeorgiou A, Kandaraki E, Piperi C, Livadas S, Papavassiliou AG, Koutsilieris M, Papalois A, Diamanti-Kandarakis E: Dietary glycotoxins affect scavenger receptor expression and the hormonal profile of female rats. J Endocrinol. 2013 Aug 29;218(3):331-7.

16. Kanczkowski W*, Chatzigeorgiou A*, Grossklaus S, Sprott D, Bornstein SR, Chavakis T: Role of the endothelial-derived endogenous anti-inflammatory factor Del-1 in inflammation-mediated adrenal gland dysfunction. Endocrinology. 2013 Mar;154(3):1181-9. IF: 4.74.

17. Phieler J, Chung KJ*, Chatzigeorgiou A*, Klotzsche-von Ameln A, ………… Mziaut H, Solimena M, Karalis KP, Economopoulou M, Lambris JD, Chavakis T. The complement anaphylatoxin C5a receptor contributes to obese adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance. J Immunol. 2013 Oct 15;191(8):4367-74.

18. Langer HF, Choi EY, Zhou H, Schleicher R, Chung KJ, Tang Z, Gobel K, Bdeir K, Chatzigeorgiou A, Wong C, Bhatia S, Kruhlak MJ, ………… Lambris JD, Li X, Meuth SG, Kubes P, Chavakis T: Platelets contribute to the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Circ Res 2012;110:1202-1210.

19. Chatzigeorgiou A*, Ellina O*, Kouyanou S, Lymberi M, Mylona-Karagianni C, Tsouvalas E, Kamper EF: Extracellular matrix-associated (GAGs, CTGF), angiogenic (VEGF) and inflammatory factors (MCP-1, CD40, IFN-gamma) in type 1 diabetes mellitus nephropathy. Clin Chem Lab Med 2012;50:167-174 *equal first authors.

20. Chatzigeorgiou A, Harokopos V, Mylona-Karagianni C, Tsouvalas E, Aidinis V, Kamper EF: The pattern of inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in type 1 diabetic patients over time. Ann Med 2010;42:426-438.

B. MOST IMPORTANT REVIEWS

1. Velliou R, Legaki AI, Nikolakopoulou P, Vlachogiannis N, Chatzigeorgiou A. Liver endothelial cells in NAFLD and transition to NASH and HCC. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2023 Oct 5;80(11):314.

2. Papatheodoridi AM, Chrysavgis L, Koutsilieris M, Chatzigeorgiou A. The Role of Senescence in the Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Progression to Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Hepatology. 2020 Jan;71(1):363-374.

3. Chung KJ, Nati M, Chavakis T, Chatzigeorgiou A. Innate immune cells in the adipose tissue. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2018 Dec;19(4):283-292.

4. Chatzigeorgiou A, Kandaraki E, Papavassiliou AG, Koutsilieris M. Peripheral targets in obesity treatment: a comprehensive update. Obes Rev. 2014 Jun;15(6):487-503.

5. Chatzigeorgiou A, Karalis KP, Bornstein SR, Chavakis T. Lymphocytes in obesity-related adipose tissue inflammation. Diabetologia. 2012 Oct;55(10):2583-2592.

C. MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTERS IN BOOKS

1. The ‘Interdisciplinary Cancer Research’ book series, Title: The role of senescence in NASH-related HCC. L. Chrysavgis, G. Papadopoulos and A. Chatzigeorgiou 2023.

2. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology (HEP) book series, Volume: Metabolic Control, Title: Immune cells and metabolism. A. Chatzigeorgiou and T.Chavakis 2016.